O'Brien excited by Rip Aidan O'Brien is looking forward to seeing Rip Van Winkle in action in tomorrow's Juddmonte International Stakes at York. Last year's Sussex Stakes winner just failed in his bid to land back-to-back renewals of the one-mile feature at Glorious Goodwood when Canford Cliffs pounced late last month. That was only his second start of the campaign after making his reappearance at Royal Ascot, also over a mile in the Queen Anne. He steps up to 10 furlongs tomorrow, a distance he arguably put up a career-best effort over when second to Sea The Stars in the Eclipse last season. "We were delighted with him in the Sussex. Obviously he started off at Ascot where he just got tired in the last half a furlong," said O'Brien. "We were happy with that and we're looking forward to him having a second run. We thought he'd progress after his first run and we expect him to progress again. "Everything has been good with him this year. We started him later this year but he went very well over the winter and so far everything has been good. "The horse has always shown loads of speed, as he did again at Goodwood, but we felt as the year went on he would progress. "He won't mind dropping back to a mile if he ever needs to, but he's a big cruiser and quickens very well. "The only time he ran over a mile and a quarter last year was in the Eclipse where he ran very well. He's very versatile. "We thought he'd progressed after Ascot and we think he's progressed since Goodwood, we are looking forward to seeing him run."
